Infant&#39;s feeding device



April 22, 1952 s. BARACATE 2,594,114

INFANTS1 FEEDING DEVICE Filed July 19, 195o /A/VENTOR fepbef? Eau/"ac f6 AITTORNEYS Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INFANTS FEEDIN G DEVICE Stephen Baracate, Troy, N. Y.

Application July 19, 1950, Serial N o. 174,682

8 Claims. (Cl. 215-11) This invention relates to improvements in infants nursing devices, having particular reference to a device which is valve-controlled, and the provision of such an article as Well as the combination therewith of a nursing bottle and nipple is a principal object of the invention.

Generally it is an object of the invention to provide such a device which is economic of manufacture, simple yet sturdy and durable of construction, positive in operation and otherwise well suited to the purposes for which it is intended.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide such a device having valve means with an inlet and an outlet providing communication between a nursing bottle and a nipple, and gravity-actuated means cooperating with the valve means for maintaining the inlet of said valve when submerged in a liquid food to provide positive communication thereof through said nipple. l

Yetl more specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide such a device having valve means with an inlet and an outlet providing communication between a nursing bottle and a nipple, a housing connecting the bottle and nipple, providing a chamber to hold a portion of liquid food owing from the bottle, and for housing the valve means therein, and gravity-lactuated means cooperating with the valve means for maintaining the inlet of the valve submerged in the food within the chamber.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device having bearings in which such valve means may revolve freely about an axis extending in adirection longitudinally of the nipple.

Another object of the invention is the provision of bearings providing substantially free universal movements of such a valve means relative to be the bottle and the nipple and gravityuactuated means such as, for example, a weight connected to the valve means to maintain the inlet submerged in the liquid during such times as the food is being sucked through the nipple.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a device having bearings in which the valve means may revolve freely about an axis extending in a direction longitudinally of a nipple connected thereto, and bearings in which the valve means may revolve freely about an axis at right angles to the first mentioned axis.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a device having valve means encased within a housing and providing communication between a bottle and a nipple adapted to be connected thereto and having an air inlet valve or passage in a wall thereof to prevent the creation of a vacuum and subsequent collapse of the nipple during use, especially where aisoft' or conventional type of rubber nipple is used.. AIt should be strictly understood however, that' such a valve means is' not absolutely essential, particularly where the nipple is made of a plastic substance, such as, for example, a thermoplastic or thermosetting material particularly designed for such a device as that embodied by the present invention. Furthermore, the invention primarily contemplates the use of such devices with plastic types of nipples as well as plastic types.

of bottles.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article..

of manufacture possessing the features, propr. erties, and the relation of elementswhich will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims. l

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, 'inv which: l

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the device having a nipple attached thereto at one end and connected at its other end to a bottle, the latter i1lustrating a fragmentary portion of the neck thereofl only;

Fig. 2 is a transverse longitudinal sectional View' of a device such as that depicted in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational View, looking from left to right, of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a partial transverse vertical sectional View of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and looking in the tion of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a modification of a valve means, part-V ly broken away and in section, embodied by the invention;

Fig. 'I is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 7-1 of Fig. 6 and looking tion of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional View taken along the lines 8--8 of Fig. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of a further modification of a valve means embodied bythe invention; v

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the lines I ll-l of Fig. 9 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 11 is a side view of a fragmentary portion of a valveelement applicable for use in connection with Figs. 1 through 5 and Fig. 6; and

dii-ecil in the direc-- Fig. l2 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the lines l2-I2 of Fig. 1l, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

It is well-known that conventional types of infants feeding bottles cause what is commonly known as infants colic and this is largely caused by improperflowof milk through the nipple becausethe :same is .not positively fcontrolled, because there is an interruption of the flow thereof causing air to the drawn from the bottle through the nipple, and further because there is no proper means for supplying air to the bottle or zone from which the milk is withdrawn. Con-n sequently, because of the air sucked through the nipple, and also because a vacuumi'is thus created, the walls of the nipple tend to collapse resulting in further sucking of air from the atmosphere adjacent the collapsed walls of the nipple. It haslongbeen recognized 'that-it would be a distinct mprovement'to vovercome such difcuities or disadvantages and this is accomplished 4by means of `thegpresent invention.

Referring `now'moreparticularly to the drawing,^there is'illustratedgenerally at2ii aninfant nursing device kto be attachedfat Voneend 'to the neck #of 'a nursing bottle 2| andto carry lat its other "end vafnipple .22.

"The device 'preferably'comprises a housing, Suchas `a"cylindrical shell 23, which is internally threaded at .its outer end to .receive an -end Vportion orwa'l'lf24 which-is correspondingly threaded externallyto'besecured in'the threaded shell 23. The wall 24 has a neck nextension 25 suitably groovedpto `receive and holdthe annular bead it '01 fthe nipple 22. Y

:hit its other endf'the shell may be 'suitably threaded internally, 'as at 2l, to engage the neck of the nnursing bottle in the event 'theilatter is externally threadedywith a standard vsize thread. It Willlbe understood Vthat 'the device preferably is made of xplastic or suitable rubber material although any other lmaterial suitable` for 'the .purposemay be utilized.

Also', a suitable distance ,within the cylindrical shell 23, the .same iis internally threaded to re- .g

ceive :an .externally threaded partition '28 having a plurality of holes or apertures'29 therethrough, thepartition being held in .spaced relation from the end wall or portion 24 to provide a chamber 301er Vthe reception of a portion Vof the milk f from the bottle when the sameis A.tilted topermit the milkto ow therein through the holes 2B.

Within the housing vwill .be .found valve 4means indicated generally at Si. .Preferablm the valveV means,.also .partly .or `wholly .made from plastic f:

material, constitutes a rectangularly shaped frame comprising spaced members 32 and 33disposed longitudinally within the casing andbeing connected by transverse end members 34 and '35.

Extending from the rear transversemember is a .trunnionor bearing 36 journaledin a bearingV At its other -end a vtransverse member 35 is provided with a forwardrecess in the partition 23.

Alongitudinal axis.

Mounted transversely of the frame members Y32 and .33.and journaled to rotate therein in suitable recesses Vprovided therefor, is a tubular element 38 having a boss 39 at one end and a screw member at its other end to hold the same inrotatable position. At one end of the member 38, the same has an annular groove 4i with a hole t2 drilled therein to provide communication there- Ewith (see Fig. 11). The tubular member 38 also is formed by virtue of a hole 43 drilled longitudinally thereof. 4Communication `vis thus farprovided to the nipple by .means of ,the hole 43; the hole t2, the annular groove 43, andv a `channel t5 extending through themember 32. the member 35, and the trunniongor bearing 3l tocommunicate with a hole or channel 46 extending .centrally of the neck 25 of the end wall. 24 and consequently to provide communication with the nipple 22.

Downwardly depending from the transverse tubular member 38 is aishorttub'ular nipple 4.1. Secured to this nipple is a weight 48, preferably made of-a metalv whichwill resist corrosion dueto lactic acid in the milk. This weighthas an opening t9 therein and is ared outwardly #within `the internal -bore lof vtheweight to provide a lrecess for the reception of la valve closure and opening member such as a fsmall metallic vwall '5B which is slightly larger in diameter vthan the openingid'. Thus there is provided a :valve means having an inlet 4S and an outlet 45 and V`'iproviding cornmunication between the nursingbottle and thev nipple V22. Because of the weight 4'8,Ythe valve inlet Ad provides vgrav'ity-actuating -means v:cuoperating with the valve mean Yfor maintaining the inlet thereof in a zone below thelongitudinal axis of the device and submerged withinl the milk during the time the latter is being sucked through the nipple. In other words, there is provided-a valve means with substantially iree universal movement thereof 1relative tothe bottleand "the that described above.

are connected at their 'rearward ends by trans-l verse member 54 having a :trunnionor bearing t as above described. However, the vopposite end of the members 5| and 52 areconnected by 'a cylindrical portion 55 adapted to rotate inv an' outer wall portion 51 similar `in constructionto the outer wall portion 22 above described. rThe outer end of the cylindrical portion 56 has an an nular'recess 58 which is in communicationwith a channel or passage 59 drilled through the member 5i. The channel or recess 58 is also in communication with the nipple by means of the channel or hole 69 drilled through the outer Wall or portion 51. The operation of a device embodied by this modification of the 'invention is similar to that described above in lconnection kwith the preferred form of the'invention.

In Fig. 9, there is illustrated -a further modifi* cation of the invention to be used in a housing such as that described in connection with Figs. l through 4. However, instead'iof ya rectangular frame, there is substituted Vva cylindrical member i adapted to be journaled inthe outer wallporf tion 241 at one end of the device andthe partition Y 25 at the other end ofthe device. This cylindrical member is drilled with a longitudinal hole 6'2 Ito form a partial tube and outlet at one end which with a valve inlet (not shown) as .above illustrated in Fig. 4. It will be understood that this modication is rotatable around the longitudinal axis, only. i

It should also be understood that whildthe transverse element heretofore described (Fig. 2) thus communicates through only the member 32 and partially .through 35, communication can likewise be effected by similarly drilling holes through the member 33 and .completely through the remaining member 35 .so that they are in communication with each other and so that a doublechannel may be provided as well as the single channels above described.

In order to prevent the creation of a vacuum Within the device or within the bottle as hereinbefore referred to, it is desirable to provide an air inlet valve open to the atmosphere. Preferably, this is done by providing a threaded boss 65 on the casing or housing 23 and drilling a hole 66 therethrough adapted to receive a spring 61 and the ball valve element 68, the same being held in place by a cap 69 threadingly engaging the boss 65. The cap 68 is also provided with an opening 'iii in coaxial alignment with the opening 66.

In order to provide the channels 45 in the frame members 32 and 35, respectively, holes may be drilled therein and subsequently plugged up as indicated at 'H and 12 (Fig. ,2).

It will thus be seen that the objects hereinbefore set forth may readily and efficiently be attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above article and ndifferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be r and specific features of the invention herein deff.

scribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An infant nursing device adapted to be attached to a nursing bottle and to have a nipple attached thereto. comprising a housing, valve means rotatably mounted within said housing. said valve means having an inlet and an outlet adapted to provide communication between said bottle and said nipple, and gravity actuated means cooperating with said valve means to 1'0- tate the same around 4axes that are both longitudinal and transverse of `said housing, and to mainte-inthe inlet of said valve submerged in food when the same is carried within said housing.

2. In an infant nursing device the improvement comprising the combination of a casing adapted to be applied at one end to a nursing bottle containing a liquid food; of a noncollapsible nipple at the other end of said casing; valve means wholly secured within the confines of said casing, `having an inlet and an outlet, providing communication between said bottle and said nipple; and gravity actuated means cooperating with said valve means for maintaining the inlet of said valve submerged in said food. f

3. In an infant nursing device the improvement comprising the combination of alcasing adapted to be applied at one end to a nursing bottle containing a liquid food; of a nipple at the other end of said casing; valve means secured within the confines of said casing, Shaving an inlet and an outlet, providing communication between said bottle and said nipple; bearings within said casing in which said valve means ma'yfrevolve freely about an axis extending in a direction longitudinally of said nipple; and

gravity actuated means cooperating with said valve means for maintaining the inlet of saidvalve means in a zone below said axis and in a substantially perpendicular position as the longitudinal axis of said bottle is rotated through a horizontal plane during the time said food is being sucked through said nipple; whereby to maintain the inlet of said valve means submerged in said food during said time.

4. In an infant nursing device the improvement comprising the combination of a casing adapted to be applied at one end to a nursing bottle containing a liquid food; 4of a nipple at the other end of said casing; a valve means wholly disposed within the connes of said casing and having an inlet and an outlet, providing communication between said bottle and said nipple; bearings within said casing providing substantially free universal movements of said valve means relative to said bottle and said nipple; and a weight connected to said valve means to maintain said inlet submerged in said food during such times as said food is being sucked through said nipple.

5. In an infant nursing device the improvement comprising the combination of a casing adapted to be secured at one end to a nursing bottle containing a liquid food; of a nipple at the other end of said casing; valve means wholly mounted Within the confines of said casing and having an inlet and an outlet, providing communication between said bottle and said nipple;

bearings within said casing in which said valve means m-ay revolve freely about an axis extending in a direction longitudinally of said nipple; bearings within said casing in which said valve means may revolve freely about an axis at right angles to the rst mentioned axis; and a Weight cooperating with said valve means to maintain said inlet submerged in said food during such times as said food is being sucked through said nipple.

6. In an infant nursing device the improvement comprising the combination of a casing adapted to be secured at one end to a nursing bottle containing a liquid food; of a nipple at the other end of said casing; valve means wholly mounted within the confines of said casing, having an inlet and an outlet, providing communication between .said lbottle and said nipple; bearings within said casing in which said valve means may revolve freely about an laxis extending in a direction transversely of the axis of said nipple; and gravity actuated means: cooperating with said valve means for maintaining the inlet of said valve means in a zone below said transverse axis and in a substantially perpendicular position as the longitudinal axis of said bottle is rotated through a horizontal plane during the time said food is being .sucked through said nipple; whereby to maintain the inlet of said valve means submerged in said food during said time.

7. A device as dened in claim 6, and further characterized in that said casing comprises a shelhcarrying afnpplesupporting; portion etaoneY end-thereon analV ai perforated. patrti-tionv at.: the otherend; thereofgysad; portion and said partitkm provdng'af. valve chamber for said. casing andimounting-i satdl-` valve means tlnerebetvxreen.

f SLAvdev/icefas: dened in claim 6, amdY further characterized; inY that said valve means v(zornprises. frame structurermeans mounted to rotate ini seid casingsimultaneously, one'portionthere- 0L being-iso constructed and arranged as to ro-V tat'eaaround a.` transverse axis,l and.: the` other portonathereofA being soconstructe'cifand arranged te: rotate, arounda. horizontal axis.

STEPHEN BARACATE.'

` REFERENCES CITED The followingY references are o'f: r'ecord 'in' .the file of this patenti Y 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 'Date 138,219 White A Apr; 22',y 1873 17934116 Kennish Ju1y.4,1 1876:

1,441,623 Davenport V 1121411.79,V 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain 1---- June 27', 1883 

